Last month I had a beautiful chance to celebrate my birthday in a special place near Windsor. I was dreaming of something grand and miraculous, probably a castle or an evening with the fairies, so the Universe brought me to this place. The hotel is called Oakley Court and is located just 10 minutes from the center of Windsor.

I was drawn to the intricate design of the hotel, the curved towers and beautiful dragons decorating the stunning building. When I arrived, I was struck by the diversity of nature around the hotel: there were trees of many kinds looking placidly at the guests, the water running just near the front door looked welcoming and calming, the Sun was slowly setting down and I took the chance to relax in the hotel terrace.

In the morning I felt that I wanted to explore the natural surroundings more so after a delicious breakfast I set off for an adventure to chat with various trees of the hotel. I decided to go with the flow and not have a plan, so interestingly I found many more wonderful subjects to talk to.

My first companion was a fountain – a peaceful structure calling a wandering explorer in to take a sit and relax. I asked the fountain what messages it had for us.
“I represent peace and solace, - it said, - Find the restful peace within yourself and just be. Find the time to sit with yourself. Be free. If you want to cry or be melancholic, you can do it with me. I am eternal. I can listen to everything and drown your tears into my water. It’s okay to be with yourself”.

Looks like the fountain knew the biggest truth of the Universe, that it is okay to be free and express yourself the way you like. How wonderful that the fountain offered itself as a trusting friend!

I patted the fountain on the stone in gratitude and looked around. A very tall majestic tree called my attention and I slowly approached it. I remembered it from the day before, it set its eyes on me with its graceful abundant figure. It seemed to know all the mysteries.

“Hello, big tree, - I said noticing that its name was Sequoia and it was born in 1861, - Would you mind giving us some messages today?”

But as soon as touched the beautiful giant, I felt no power to speak or listen to it. The energy of the tree was so expansive and so overwhelming in its kindness that I just felt gratitude coming out of my palms. I almost couldn’t control it. It kept flowing and flowing.

When I gave enough love to the tree, it finally spoke and this is what it said: “I will tell you about the richness of the Soul. I am everything and everywhere. I want to tell you how rich you can be in all the senses. Spread your branches like me, open your heart, open your soul. Then you will see the true richness coming in. Grow!”

That was beautiful. Still holding the big tree in my hands, I remembered about the Holly Tree near the terrace and I felt drawn to talk to it at that minute. The Holly was very well kept, in a beautiful cut, standing tall with a kind aura around it.

“Hello, Holly Tree, - I whispered, - I heard that you have many healing abilities, is that true?”

“Oh yes, - replied Holly almost before I finished my sentence, - I am the power of cleansing. I give you strong vigorous energy that will replenish your body and soul. Place your hands on me and you will feel the effect straight away.”

Indeed, when I placed my hands on the Holly Tree, I felt immediately a rush of energy coming through my body and a very pleasant fresh sensation in my head. It seemed like Holly really had medicinal powers!

I continued my walk, becoming more and more puzzled at the beautiful diversity of the trees around. Suddenly, I heard somebody talking. It was a low and jolly voice that seemed to be coming from lower down. I looked around trying to find the tree that was talking but it wasn’t a tree at all. It was a stump!

“Hello, hello, - continued the happy voice coming from the ground, - Don’t you recognise me? I used to be a tree but now I am a stump. However, I still have my magical powers. I can help you to become more connected with Mother Earth. Would you like that?”

I nodded with a smile and placed my hands on the stump not expecting anything. But indeed as I touched its tender being, I felt as though I was taken deeper into the ground and became more connected with all that there is. I felt like dancing and playing the flute and connecting with Mother Earth. How remarkable it was!

After I sat on the stump for a while and gained all my power, I walked to a very tall tree which intrigued me with its essence and demeanour. I called the tree a Princess as it felt very feminine and beautiful. I was right, as I touched it the charming feminine voice came out of the tree.

“Grow tall, - said the Princess, - Aim high. Look at me, how I stretch high into the sky, I always aim for bigger things and I achieve them. You can do it too. Go for it and rush into the sky.”

As I was touching the powerful bark, I indeed felt as though I rushed into the sky with the Princess and I felt taller, braver and more confident. It is amazing what talents trees can bring to us!

Feeling strong and purposeful, I decided to walk to the river flowing quietly nearby. Something stopped me on the way as it caught my eye on the ground. I looked down and saw a most beautiful pine cone. There was no mistake, she was talking to me.

“Hello, hello! – she said playfully shinning its intricate surface to me, - Can you see that I have lips on me? That’s because I like to kiss!” Funnily, when I looked at the cone, I really saw many lips all around it as though the cone was telling the truth. How incredible! I took the cone in my hand and closed my eyes.

“I am your personal Charger, I kiss you with energy, - continued the little voice in my hand, - Hold me and play with me and I will give you love. I am better than a mobile phone! I will connect you with nature and recharge your batteries. Hold me more!”

I laughed and kept the talking cone in my hand, indeed it felt so pleasant and uplifting to feel its energy. I was discovering a whole new world.

As I approached the water, I dazed into the peaceful surface of this solemn being. The water seemed to be busy with its own flow of life and keep doing its thing no matter what. I pricked my ears and tried to catch what it was saying. This is what I heard:

“Come with Me. I will take your pain and sorrow away. Embrace who you are. Flow with me. Dance like I do. Move and don’t hold on to things. Flow as I flow. There is always more to come.”

The water was so wise and miraculous. I could feel my thoughts and worries taken away as I observed the clear reflection in the small ripples. I wanted to spend the whole eternity looking at this magic.

But I had to go. There was one more tree I wanted to talk to as it had been calling my attention for the whole day. I called the tree the Iridescent Prince as he stood tall and proud and very happy in the green glow of the glade. There was definitely something special about this tree and I was longing to discover it.

“Hello, I am the Prince. I am Noble. I am heartful. I have good manners. I am benevolent and welcoming. I am wearing a big smile. I am the Knight that you met on a horse many years ago. I took the shape of a tree but I am here to remind you that you can. There is a beautiful triumphant music playing now. You are welcome and encouraged.”

I couldn’t put into words what I felt from the Prince but I certainly had a feeling of recognition being next to him. I felt uplifted and welcomed, like a guest who have been waited for for a long time. Maybe indeed we met in the past? Who knows…

I thought my journey was over but as I was entering the hotel, my hand felt drawn to the wall of the castle. Can I really touch it and feel it too? Why not, said my intuition, so I continued talking to it. And here is what it said:

“Hello, I am the Castle. I am holding the secrets of this dwelling. I am deep and strong, I go back into history. You can go with me to the lane of memory, hold my hand and take the steps down. I will show you how love worked and how passion ruled. How glory and strength won over mind. How great vision conquered the lands. Do you want to dance with me? You deserve it and if you really want to create it, then know that you can. You have to let go of everything that constraints you. Drop it like a mask, get on a horse and ride. Be the Conqueror. Be the Creator. Stand up. Rise up to the flame. The land is yours. Go and conquer. And then come back to me after to say thank you and tell me the story.”

I was very touched by the words of the Castle as I felt it really knew exactly what to tell me. I even was reluctant to remove my hand, so connected and in love, I felt at that moment. “Thank you, Castle, - I thought to myself, - I will definitely come back and tell you my story. Later.”

Now it was time to have a cup of tea in a beautiful parlour with sunshine beaming all around. But that’s a whole different story.

To book an Individual or/and Group Nature Walks with Maria please visit our website: www.mariasuniverse.com/nature-walks